Replacement VIN plate near battery

[SpawnyWhippet]

I recently bought my clean title 2004 C4S, and have subsequently discovered the previous owner hadn't been entirely truthful when I asked him if the car had ever been damaged or stolen. Turns out it was both, car had been stolen when quite young and recovered by police not long after the thief had a fender bender. This came to light when I noticed that the under-hood VIN plate (next to the cabin air filter) was missing.

 

I contacted my local dealer Carlsen, but they advise Porsche cannot supply a replacement VIN plate.

 

Is there any legal way to get a new VIN plate made and reattached?

[JFP in PA]

I recently bought my clean title 2004 C4S, and have subsequently discovered the previous owner hadn't been entirely truthful when I asked him if the car had ever been damaged or stolen. Turns out it was both, car had been stolen when quite young and recovered by police not long after the thief had a fender bender. This came to light when I noticed that the under-hood VIN plate (next to the cabin air filter) was missing.

 

I contacted my local dealer Carlsen, but they advise Porsche cannot supply a replacement VIN plate.

 

Is there any legal way to get a new VIN plate made and reattached?

 

You need to check with the state authorities on this as it could be opening a real can of worms.  In some states, getting a replacement VIN tag put the car in the same category as kit cars, which could make the car difficult to sell.  You may also have recourse against the person that sold you the car.

[SpawnyWhippet]

Perhaps I misunderstood your reply; I don't want to get a replacement VIN 'number', I want to replace the missing VIN plate with another showing the correct number.

 

All of the other VIN tags are still present and correct (decal under hood, in door jamb, dashboard, engine number etc) and I have title, service booklet and all the paperwork for the car. Would it be possible to find a company that can re-stamp this VIN number, or is that considered to be illegal in California?

[JFP in PA]

Perhaps I misunderstood your reply; I don't want to get a replacement VIN 'number', I want to replace the missing VIN plate with another showing the correct number.

 

All of the other VIN tags are still present and correct (decal under hood, in door jamb, dashboard, engine number etc) and I have title, service booklet and all the paperwork for the car. Would it be possible to find a company that can re-stamp this VIN number, or is that considered to be illegal in California?

 

I don't think you misunderstood my response, I am not referring to getting a new VIN number, but rather a replacement VIN tag or plate for the car.  This is much more than just getting someone to do a re-pop of the original tag.  I many states, it difficult, or even illegal to replace any VIN tag on a car without the state DMV approval.  When state police or DMV officers show up at car auctions, one of the first thing they look at is the VIN tags and how they are mounted.  If it appears to be a replacement, tampered with, or is missing, the car cannot be sold until the owner proves the car's provenance to the police and DMV; and in some cases the police will impound the vehicle until they are satisfied the car is legitimate.

 

You need to contact your state's department of motor vehicles and get clarification on if and how you can do this.  In the state where I live, the state has to issue an approved replacement plate once the title for the car is clarified, anyone trying to do this in the marketplace is subject to arrest; only the state can issue the plate.  And cars with state reissued VIN tags have that fact noted in their owner's title, which stays with the car forever.

 

This is not just a simple replacement, which is why I mentioned that you may also have recourse against whoever sold you the car.